Diabetes is a very serious disease. Left unchecked, it can bring serious consequences including death. Fortunately, it is a disease that can be managed. Unfortunately most of the people who have diabetes do not know that they have it and hence do not treat it till it become very late. If you suspect you have diabetes, it is very important that you get prompt professional attention and to determine whether you suffer from this.

Diabetes mellitus arises when insufficient insulin is produced, or when the available insulin does not function correctly. Without insulin, the amount of glucose in the bloodstream is abnormally high, causing unquenchable thirst and frequent urination. The body's inability to store or use glucose causes hunger and weight loss.

The tissues and cells that make up the human body are living things, and require food to stay alive. The food cells eat is a type of sugar called glucose. Fixed in place as they are, the body's cells are completely dependent on the blood stream in which they are bathed to bring glucose to them. Without access to adequate glucose, the body's cells have nothing to fuel themselves with (a process known as metabolism) and soon die.

Diabetes occurs because some people do not make, or cannot respond to, their natural hormone insulin. Hormones help us control the way our bodies work. Insulin's specific job is to regulate the body's use of glucose, our main fuel source. We get glucose, a form of sugar, from the food we eat. It is also made by the liver

What Causes Diabetes

Diabetes (actual name is diabetes mellitus) of any kind is a disorder that prevents the body from using food properly. Normally, the body gets its major source of energy from glucose, a simple sugar that comes from foods high in simple carbohydrates (e.g., table sugar or other sweeteners such as honey, molasses, jams, and jellies, soft drinks, and cookies), or from the breakdown of complex carbohydrates such as starches (e.g., bread, potatoes, and pasta).

The harm caused by diabetes can best be reduced by preventing the onset of Type 2 diabetes. Prevention through the modification of risk factors - particularly through lifestyle changes - is a goal of the National Diabetes Strategy (CDHA, 1999), which was endorsed in 1999 by all State and Commonwealth health ministers. This aim has also been emphasized in the National Service Improvement Framework for Diabetes (NHPAC, 2006a).

Risk Factors for Diabetes Age: All people are vulnerable to the disease throughout their lives. However, the risk is higher as you grow older. There is a gradual increase in susceptibility, with slight peaks at puberty and during pregnancy, until we reach the age of 40. Then there is a rapid jump.

There are several different types of diabetes. Gestational diabetes begins during pregnancy and disappears following delivery. Another type is referred to as juvenile onset diabetes (in children) or Type I (in young adults). These individuals usually develop their disease before age 20. People with Type I diabetes must take insulin by injection every day. Approximately 10 percent of all people with diabetes have Type I (also called insulin dependent diabetes).

Type 2 Diabetes In this type, your pancreas makes some insulin, but not enough. Your cells also can become resistant to insulin's effects, keeping insulin from escorting enough glucose into your body's cells. Type 2 diabetes generally develops after age 40.